On Tuesday, South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law, accusing the opposition of being “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime” amidst ongoing disputes over the national budget.
In a live televised address, Yoon explained the decision, stating, "To protect a liberal South Korea from the threats of North Korea’s communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements undermining the people's freedom and happiness, I hereby declare emergency martial law."
He further criticized the opposition, claiming they had “paralyzed governance,” driven solely by motives of impeachment, special investigations, and protecting their leader from justice.
The move comes as the ruling People Power Party and the opposition Democratic Party remain locked in conflict over next year’s budget. Last week, opposition lawmakers passed a significantly reduced budget proposal through a parliamentary committee, cutting around 4.1 trillion won ($2.8 billion) from the original plan. The opposition reduced funds allocated for key areas, including Yoon’s office, the prosecution, the police, and the state audit agency.
Yoon condemned the actions of the opposition, calling the National Assembly a "haven for criminals" and a "den of legislative dictatorship" that seeks to paralyze judicial and administrative systems and dismantle the nation’s democratic order.
He also accused opposition lawmakers of slashing budgets essential to the nation's core functions, such as combating drug crime and maintaining public safety, warning this could turn the country into a "drug haven" and destabilize public order.
With martial law in place, Yoon described the current situation as one where South Korea is "on the verge of collapse," with the National Assembly acting as a "monster" threatening the country’s liberal democracy.
The emergency measure includes heightened alert and readiness among all military units in South Korea, which remains technically at war with North Korea. The National Assembly building has been sealed, with MPs barred from entering.
This unexpected declaration of martial law follows a significant drop in Yoon’s approval ratings, which fell to just 19% in a recent Gallup poll, as many citizens expressed dissatisfaction with his handling of the economy and the ongoing controversies surrounding his wife, Kim Keon Hee.
With martial law imposed, all military units in the South, which remains technically at war with the nuclear-armed North, have been ordered to strengthen their emergency alert and readiness postures, Yonhap news agency reported.
The entrance to the National Assembly has been sealed, and MPs have been barred from entering the building, according to Yonhap.
The imposition of emergency martial law comes as Yoon’s approval rating dropped to 19 per cent in the latest Gallup poll last week, with many expressing dissatisfaction over his handling of the economy and controversies involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee.
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